Lost in Camelot
by RandomDuffleCoats
Summary: Megan is a big fan of 'Merlin'. So when she finds herself in fictional Camelot via a portal in her garden shed with Gwen stuck on the wrong side, she can't decide if all her dreams have come true or this is her worst nightmare... Loosely based on 'Lost in Austen'
1. The Fan, the Maiden and the Garden Shed

**_This is my first fanfiction and I hope you like it. It is loosely based on the idea of 'Lost in Austen' _**

"I have already stuck the boxset on!" moaned Megan. A young adult, with brown wavy hair, blue eyes and freckles was curled up on the sofa, already in her pyjamas at 6 o clock in the evening, a blanket thrown over her with her microwave dinner on her lap, remote at the ready, phone balance on her shoulder. This was a regular evening ritual for Megan, which her friends couldn't understand.  
"Are you going to let this rule you for the rest of your life?" sighed Hannah.  
"No. I just like it"  
"No, you are obsessed with it" emphasised Hannah.  
"Must we have this argument every time I do this? I like Merlin, deal with it"  
"You are still coming out Saturday night though, aren't you?"  
"Er, yeah, sure. Just text me the details and I will promise you I will be there" lied Megan.  
"Great. See you then"  
"See you, bye"  
Megan hung up the phone with a strange sense of relief. Getting comfortable on the sofa and wrapping the blanket around her, she pointed the remote at the TV and Merlin began playing, Prince Arthur walking into a room. She smirked, "He is so hot" she murmured, taking a bite of her chicken. It was going to be a good night.

The next morning, after staying up until 2 in the morning watching her favourite boxset, she groaned as her alarm went off. Back to reality she thought as she slowly woke up, her eyes fluttering open. She yawned and observed the room and early shrieked the house down when she saw a woman standing at the foot of the bed. Pressing herself against the headboard, she stared at the woman, gawping at her.  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" she excused.  
"Er…no…I mean…what…" She recognised the woman almost like she had stepped out of her television. Sporting her orange hand maidens dress and her hair tied in a messy tangle around her face. Her hair and skin were dark, and she seemed confused and kept glaring around the room, not sure what to make of it.  
"You have a strange home" remarked Guinevere.  
"Is this a joke? How did you get in my house?" asked Megan, raising her voice.  
"The door was not shut properly…"  
"How convenient" muttered Megan, "Did someone set this up? Are you Angel?"  
"I am no spirit creature, I am Guinevere. I am a hand maiden from Camelot, but I feel I am a long way from home"  
"No kidding. How did you get here then?"  
"Through your hut outside"  
"Hut…you mean the garden shed. I am surprised you got out of there with the broken lawnmower and the spiders and rubbish"  
"I tore my dress" she said, lifting it up so Megan to inspect the damage.  
"Show me" said Megan, jumping out of bed, wrapping her dressing gown around her and her fluffy, pink slippers, as a bewildered Gwen wondered what had possessed this strange woman to wear those shoes, "What?"  
"I like your shoes" offered Gwen.  
"No need to be polite, I know they are ridiculous" joked Megan.

They made their way down the stairs, Megan rubbing her face, wishing this was all a bad dream. She glanced back and found actual Gwen from the actual TV show Merlin was still following her outside. She opened the door and crept into the garden; the light was beginning to shine through the clouds as they wandered down the path toward the shed. Megan felt ashamed of how little she cared for her garden; it was overgrown and full of weeds and the first time she even mowed the lawn, she had managed to break her Dad's lawnmower. She stopped and turned to Gwen.  
"Show me how that shed suddenly turned into bloody Narnia" suggested Megan.  
"I do not quite understand what you mean but I will show you how I arrived here."  
Megan rolled her eyes, huddling her gown around her as she tentatively watched Gwen stepped forward and opened the latch to her shed. A bright, clear light was beaming through into the garden and Megan gasped.  
"No way!"  
"If you do not believe me…" offered Gwen, stepping forward straight into it and disappeared from view. Megan took a step back, scoffing. How could she possibly expect to believe if she stepped into her filthy, wooden shed and ended up in a fictional Camelot? However, her curiosity got the better of her as she carefully stepped in the shed and into the light, shielding her eyes.

She nearly stumbled forwards as she looked like she was in the inside of a castle, in a small, narrow corridor. She could hear the hubbub of talking not too far away and she could smell food, and she noticed Gwen looking at her.  
"And you did not believe me…"  
"This is amazing; I am actually in the proper castle and everything. Oh my god!"  
"You seem to be devoutly religious"  
"Not at all, it's just…I never expected this"  
"I will show you how you get back" offered Gwen, putting a hand on Megan's shoulder as a gesture like she understood this place might take some getting used to. She vanished out of sight again and Megan took in her surroundings. This was a dream come true. She jumped up and down on the spot shouting in excitement. It was actually real. "This is awesome" she said, punching her fist in the air. She spun on the spot but she then stopped, nearly falling over herself as the light began to flicker.  
"Gwen?" she called but there was no reply as the light faded and faded, she went to step into it and then crashed into the stone wall. "Gwen?"  
'What if I can't get home?' thought Megan with dread, 'What if I am stuck here forever?'  
It was then she started banging her fists against the wooden door that now stood there, shouting Gwen repeatedly, willing the portal thing to reappear so she could get home. After a couple of moments, the door swung open forwards; Megan flew to the floor, hitting her head on the floor. She saw a figure of an elderly man peering at her and then everything faded to black.


	2. Prince Charming

**Chapter 2**

Megan came round, her head throbbing a little and her vision a little blurry. Something wet, a flannel, was being dabbed at her forehead. As she focussed, she realised she recognised the elderly man leaning over her. He had long white hair, a wrinkled face with a kind, crooked smile. It was Gaius. As soon as she realised she went to sit up.  
"Relax, you had a fall" reassured Gaius.  
"Er…yeah, I remember. You're…"  
"Gaius. I am the physician at the Castle. It was a good job he found you"  
"Right" nodded Megan, sighing. She then looked down at her outfit. She was now missing one of her fluffy slippers and her dressing gown was a little grimy like it had been dragged across the floor. She wished she had picked something more practical to wear in that moment.  
"I need to get home" she blurted suddenly.  
"Perhaps I can help you with that later. Right now, I need to make sure you are all right"  
Megan sighed, sitting up properly now, and then realised maybe she should make the most of it.  
"Thank you Gaius"  
"You are welcome" He offered her the flannel and she took it, pressing it against the ache on her forehead.

"Do you perhaps know someone called Merlin?" Megan asked casually, a couple of minutes later.  
"Well, yes, actually. He should be arriving on Wednesday" he replied, surprised, "How do you know Merlin?"  
"I…I've just heard about him. He lives in the next village" Megan lied quickly.  
She couldn't believe it; she was right at the beginning, before it all started. She gave the flannel back to Gaius now, unable to stop grinning.  
"Thank you but I have to go" she said, jumping off the bed and making her way towards the doors.  
"Sorry, I did not catch your name" said Gaius suddenly.  
"My name's Megan. It was nice to meet you Gaius" She waved and hurried away. She wanted to figure out how to get home, but a detour around the infamous Camelot wouldn't hurt. Even in only one fluffy slipper and an alarming pink dressing gown.

She soon found herself in the courtyard outside the castle and it was stunning, she had to admit. She took a deep breath and tried to remember this moment as she would probably not have an opportunity like this again. As she went back the way she had come, instead of carrying on to Gaius' room she turned right and find a couple of women kneeling on the floor, hot buckets of water next to them as they scrubbed the floor. Megan instantly felt sorry for them; she wouldn't want to be a servant in a beautiful place like this, she would want to make the most of it. She carefully trod her way through the wet floors but as she approached the end of the corridor she felt her slipper fly off her feet as she stumbled dramatically forwards. She was waiting for the impact on the floor but she found strong, muscular arms catch her instead.  
"You are making quite a habit of this" said a voice she recognised, and she looked up and found herself blushing.  
"Sorry, I…"  
It was like her head was screaming "OMG It's Prince Arthur!" and it was replaying in her head a million times. Megan thought he looked more handsome than seeing him on the television, with his swept blonde hair and blue eyes, sporting a gorgeous smile. "I don't suppose you can help me? I have no idea where I am going"  
"It depends where you need to be. What is this…coat you are wearing?"  
He eyed her up and Megan shuffled on her feet, going even redder as he smirked at her ridiculous dressing gown.  
"It's a dressing gown, you wear it over pyjamas…I never even thought they weren't invented yet"  
"Sorry?"  
"Nothing" Then it dawned on her, "You said I had a habit of doing this?"  
"Yes. I was the one that found you after you fell earlier."  
"I need to go back there! Sorry, your highness" She curtseyed, which seemed to amuse Arthur as he shook this head and thought how ridiculous her gown was.  
"I will show you. Follow me. Since you asked me so nicely" he said sarcastically.  
"Sorry" she mumbled, picking up her slipper and following in his wake sheepishly. This was not how she imagined meeting the gorgeous Prince Arthur.

"Here" offered Arthur; Megan recognised the door and turned to Arthur.  
"I am grateful for your…kindness" she said awkwardly.  
"My pleasure. Now, I have some important matters to intend to"  
He swaggered off, glancing back at her. She was a strange girl he thought.  
"Right, how am I going to do this?" she muttered aloud to herself and carefully went up to the door where the portal had disappeared. "Gwen?" she said to the air.  
She sighed, running a hand through her hair in frustration, wondering what on earth she could do to at least get in contact with_ anyone _on the other side. She felt something on her foot, and looked down. Frowning, she picked up the slip of paper at the bottom of her bare feet and saw a scrawled note on it. It was her best friend, Hannah's writing. It read:

_Megan.  
Hope you are ok, I have seen the weird portal thing. Gwen is here, I will look after her. All this is sooo weird, we will figure out a way to open it. Come home soon, we miss you.  
Hannah xxx_

Megan could feel her eyes welling up. She was stuck here and if it was a dream, it should have been amazing, but all she wanted to do was go home. Before she could let the tears fall, she decided she needed a plan if she was stuck here for the foreseeable future. And she realised the solution and groaned. If Gwen wasn't here, she could replace her as Morgana's maid servant. If only she had been more dressed up she could pretend to be a lady or princess or something. Not exactly a dream come true but hopefully she could still enjoy her time in Camelot. But first she had to convince King Uther and Lady Morgana to let her work here. And if she had to look the part, she might need a little help.

After about half an hour trying to find his room again, she knocked and poked her head round the door, smiling.  
"How are you feeling Megan?"  
"Better thanks" she said, letting herself in.  
"What can I do you for then?"  
"I was wondering if you could help me out. See, I didn't tell you the whole story before."  
"Do tell" suggested Gaius.  
"Well, I am an old friend of Guinevere, Morgana's servant and…she has gone to my village for a while and I have offered to do her job for a bit. Like a swap. But this outfit…well, if you can call it that…I need some suitable clothes if I am going to make a good first impression"  
"Did you not bring anything with you?"  
"I…don't have much, I am poor and don't have any belongings."  
"I will see if I can find Meredith, she might be able to help you. She is the best seamstress I know"  
"Thanks so much Gaius, I really appreciate it."  
That was the easy part she thought with dread, but how were Uther and Morgana going to react to this new arrangement? Then she smiled. She was going to meet the legends that were Uther and Morgana!


	3. Meeting Morgana

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or BBC or Shine etc. etc.  
Hope you are enjoying my story and thanks for any reviews and follows**_____

**Chapter 3**

After Meredith, the kind servant, had given her a few tips and a half decent dress (well, for what she needed it for anyway), Megan decided her first move should be to introduce herself to Morgana and try to get her to come round to the idea of her being her new maid servant. Saying goodbye to Meredith, she made her way to the room, slightly nervous. She stood outside the door, braced herself and rapped on the door determinedly. "Come in" Morgana called, her familiar voice making Megan's heart beat faster. She was just behind that door!  
"Hello, it's an honour to meet you, my lady"  
"Oh…I thought you were Guinevere" said Morgana, with slight disappointment, "Who are you?"  
"Well, I am Guinevere's replacement" she said simply. Morgana frowned and walked up to Megan. She was so beautiful thought Megan, she wished she was a King's Ward instead of a wannabe servant.  
"Where is Guinevere?"  
"See…we have done this swap, my lady. It's a long story. She is serving Lord…Woodbourne, my former master"  
"I have not heard of him"  
"He keeps himself to himself…my lady. He enjoys his privacy. Gwen fancied a change of scenery so I suggested we swap. It was all very last minute, I do apologize if it causes any trouble."  
"So who are you?"  
"I am Megan, your new maid servant" explained Megan, holding her arms out and then realized it looked stupid and instead turned it into an awkward curtsey, "Lord Woodbourne speaks very highly of me, I served his daughter…Rose. She is a bit of a challenge which is why Gwen offered to help me. She is so generous, my lady"  
"Yes, it seems so. It does seem rather odd she never told me anything about this."  
"Like I said, last minute, it seemed like a good idea at the time. I am sure she said she lost track of time and forgot to mention it. Silly Gwen. She did, however, say how much of a joy it was to serve under you and how beautiful you were"  
She hoped the saying flattery gets you everywhere was true. Morgana eyed her suspiciously then said "I will have to discuss this with the King you understand?"  
"Yes. Let me prove to you how good a maid servant I can be" urged Megan.  
"I will consider it. I will back soon. Perhaps you should make yourself useful."  
She nodded towards the unmade bed and her clothes from the previous evening on the chair. Megan nodded, heading straight for the bed and starting plumping the pillows.

Morgana had been gone for some time and Megan found herself whistling the new Lady Gaga song as she moved around the room, setting everything into place and was about to take her dress away to ask someone how to wash things in this place (how she wished they had washing machines in Camelot) when someone stood in the doorway. Megan stopped and went to curtsey.  
"Ah, it's you again" Prince Arthur smirked and she remembered how arrogant he was at the beginning. She wished she could wipe that smirk off his face.  
"How can I help you _sire_?" she asked through nearly gritted teeth. She plastered a fake smile on her face.  
"Morgana has explained the situation and she wishes her old maid servant to return. I have never heard of this Lord Woodbourne either."  
"Like I said to Lady Morgana, he likes his privacy" she said determinedly, "Look, please, let me prove it, like a trail run and if I am not good enough after a week or month or whatever, then I will go back to Lord Woodbourne. Out of your hair forever. Just give me a chance."  
Arthur considered this for a moment, "I will speak with my father. You have one chance and that's it. Morgana will have to settle for you for the time being."  
'Settle for me?' she thought angrily, 'Anyone would be happy to have me as a servant!' It occurred to her how his attitude had changed now he had discovered she was a maid servant. No wonder Merlin would call him a prat on numerous occasions when he eventually got to Camelot.

Arthur left the room and she did a little cheer, she had succeeded and jumped the first hurdle. She then realised she was still clutching Morgana's dress and sighed. Her happiness was short lived as she realised the next few weeks would be hard work. In a bit more of a gloomy mood, she decided to find Meredith, who may be her only chance of survival in Camelot.

It was soon night time and Megan decided to check if the portal had reappeared but yet again, it was simply a wooden door and a deserted corridor. She then decided to try and find where Gwen lived as she had no place to stay of her own. Her new servant friend Meredith had told her the directions go get to Gwen's home which she accepted gratefully. As she walked there, she realized she would be meeting Gwen's father Tom. She smiled as she saw him and then felt her stomach churn as she realized she had to explain where Gwen had gone. Also, the fact he was going to die at some point in the future made her more uncomfortable and nervous as she approached the front door. Whether she told the truth about everything or not, Megan wasn't sure how she was going to explain the strange situation to Tom

"Hello, are you Tom, Guinevere's father?" asked Megan for want of an opening.  
"Yes. I haven't seen her all day, she should have returned by now" He seemed agitated and al  
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." She took a deep breath and started to tell Tom the fabricated story of how she and Gwen had swapped places, and she was surprised how well he took it. She then decided to ask him whether she could stay at his home and he was more than welcoming, considering she was assisting Lady Morgana and also hoped that his daughter would return home soon. Megan hoped so too. She wished she could go home and everything get back the way it was rather than lying in an uncomfortable, straw bed, trying to get some sleep to get up for a hard days graft the next day.


	4. As If By Magic

_**It has been a whole month since I last uploaded! It has been a busy old time. **_

_**Hope you enjoy the next chapter **_____

**Chapter 4**

The next morning, Megan felt someone shaking her and she woke with a start, and saw Tom's face beaming down on her. This unsettled her for a moment and then she realized where she was and groaned. She had hoped perhaps it had just been a nice dream but no, she was still stuck in Camelot and she now had to be Lady Morgana's slave!  
"You do not want to be late for the Lady Morgana" he encouraged.  
"Fine, I'm getting up" she moaned, throwing the blanket off her, shivered and wrapped it around herself again. She pulled on one of Gwen's dresses, which wasn't particularly appealing, had a bread roll for breakfast and made her way up to the castle.

After arriving at the castle and subsequently in the kitchens, Megan found her new friend Meredith who helped her prepare some food for when Morgana woke and also giving her some handy hints on what to do during the day. Megan appreciated the help as she carefully carried the tray full of food towards Morgana's quarters, after being told what time she needed to be up. Megan gingerly opened the door, set her tray down at the end of the bed and approached the curtains. Taking a deep breath, she said "Time to wake up my lady" and drew open the heavy, dark curtains.  
Morgana stirred as she blinked in the bright morning sun.  
"Good morning my lady" repeated Megan, spinning on the spot and smiling, "It looks like a lovely day. I have prepared some breakfast for you."  
"Thank you" smiled Morgana, evidently impressed with her new maidservant, "What was your name again?"  
"Megan" she smiled, "I will go and collect your clothes for today. Enjoy your breakfast"  
Morgana watched her go out of the door and smirked. Maybe things would work out just fine.

Megan came back into the room about 20 minutes later where Morgana had polished off her food save a few leftovers and Megan had the most beautiful dress in her arms. It was a midnight blue colour that reached the floor, with flared arms and the material was so lush and soft. Megan wished she had pretended to be a lady at this point but she knew she would not have been able to keep that cover for long. While she was thinking this and helping Morgana into her dress, she noticed the Lady kept glancing at the window.  
"Is there something troubling you my Lady?" asked Megan tentatively, doing up the buttons at the back of the dress.  
"There is going to be an execution today."  
"Oh, how awful. Well, it depends what they have done though. If they…I don't know, murdered someone then they probably deserve it…sorry, I am rambling…"  
"No, it is fine" reassured Morgana, "The prisoner is being executed for being a sorcerer"  
Megan frowned, realising this story sounded familiar, and then it dawned on her. She approached the window and peered out to see a wooden platform in the centre of the courtyard, a small, wooden block in the centre of it. Megan gulped. This must have been the day Merlin arrived at Camelot.  
"Is there anything else I can do for you my lady?" asked Megan absentmindedly, looking out of the window still.

"Could you brush my hair?"  
"Of course" Still full of excited thoughts of Merlin's arrival, Megan found her hairbrush and began to brush through Morgana's long, luscious, black hair.  
"Can you stay?" asked Morgana, "When they execute the poor boy?"  
'So much for meeting Merlin straight away' thought Megan.  
She actually replied with an "Of course my lady" and continued brushing her hair.

Sometime later, the daunting King Uther stood on the balcony addressing the bustling crowd of people below. "Let this serve this as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty to conspiring to use enchantments and magic" boomed Uther, "And pursuant of the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just King, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass!" Uther nodded to someone in the distance, someone roughly pushed the man to the floor. The executioner lifted up his axe. As Uther waved his hand, the axe went straight through his neck. Megan looked away in disgust and noticed Morgana did the same. "When I came to this land" continued Uther, "This kingdom was mindless chaos. But with the people's help, magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate 20 years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin!"

Suddenly, just liked Megan remembered, she saw the boy's mother edge out of the crowd, scorn and hatred all over her face. "There is only one evil in this land and it is not magic! It is you, with your hatred and your ignorance. You took my son" she sobbed, her voice quivering, "Well, I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. A son for a son."  
"Seize her!" ordered Uther, but she was already muttering a spell, a tornado whipping her up, wind blowing dramatically everywhere and then she was gone. Morgana turned to Megan "Yes, my lady?"  
"Fetch me some water." she said quietly. Megan nodded and left the room. She was torn between feeling sorry about the execution or happy that Merlin had finally arrived in Camelot.

For the rest of the day, Megan was mainly preparing the food for the celebrations, which her left her fingers red raw and had a close shave with a particularly sharp knife while chopping vegetables. Megan realized how much work she had to do and at that moment, she really wanted to go home, put her feet up and ring for a takeaway and not cook so much food again in her life. But the fleeting moments of freedom she had from the job to find the place she had appeared was futile; she didn't know how to return home. After all that work, Megan was exhausted so went straight to bed with only a little she had to eat.

Luckily, the next day, Megan's day was not so hectic so after serving Lady Morgana for a few hours, she found time to go to the market in pretense of getting something for Morgana and a thank you gift for Meredith. Even though she had no idea how far her money would go. However, shopping wasn't her priority but meeting Merlin was and she remembered he would be here in a rather entertaining fight with Prince Arthur.

Megan caught a glimpse of a dark haired man and she felt her stomach churn happily. 'It's actually Merlin' her insides screamed.  
"Hey, come on, that's enough" sighed Merlin at Arthur.  
"What?" replied Arthur.  
"You've had your fun my friend"  
"Do I know you?" asked Arthur, striding up to Merlin.  
"Err, I'm Merlin…"  
"So I don't know you?"  
"No"  
"Yet you call me friend!"  
"That was my mistake."  
"Yes, I think so"  
"Yeah" nodded Merlin, "I would never have a friend who would be such an ass."  
Megan couldn't believe how much more funny she found this seeing it for real. She tried to cover her laughter but a couple of people next to her kept giving her weird looks.  
"Nor I with someone so stupid. Tell me Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?"  
At this line, she burst out laughing, a proper belly laugh she couldn't control.  
"No"  
"Would you like me to help you?"  
"I wouldn't if I were you"  
"Why? What are you going to do with me?" teased Arthur.  
"You have no idea"  
"Be my guest" grinned Arthur, "Come on! Come on, come on!" Merlin went to punch him but Arthur quickly put Merlin's arm up his back. "I could put you in jail for that!" said Arthur.  
"Who do you think you are, the king?"  
"No. I'm his son. Arthur" He was taken away after that and Megan knew the result would be him in the stocks and eventually in the prison. 'Poor Merlin' thought Megan, who then began to giggle. Maybe staying in Camelot wouldn't be so bad.

Megan vaguely remembered Gwen bringing him some food later on in the prison so she decided to take the opportunity to introduce herself to the infamous sorcerer. She made her way down there, she hadn't acknowledged how cold, filthy and horrid the dungeons would be as she approached the barred cell and finally saw him up close. His short, dark hair was disheveled as was his red scarf and there was dirt on his boots.  
"I brought you some food. My advice to you is don't have a go at the future king of Camelot your first day here" she smirked, handing him some bread and grapes.  
"You heard then?" he mumbled, scoffing the food.  
"No, I saw it. You have to admit that was pretty funny; wish I could see you in the stocks with kids throwing tomatoes and stuff. That would make my day"  
"Do you know Gaius?" asked Merlin, ignoring her comments, "I am going to be in some much trouble" He began brushing his hair down nervously and Megan quickly stopped laughing.  
"Gaius is cool, as long as you learn from your mistakes. I'm Megan, Morgana's maidservant. Third day here. Good job I haven't starting calling her names or I might be where you are now." Megan couldn't help herself and burst out laughing again.  
"You can stop laughing" sighed Merlin.  
"That would be too easy."  
"I'm Merlin, I am Gaius' new apprentice."  
"Nice to meet you Merlin" smirked Megan, who then remembered she hadn't finished cleaning Morgana's boots and hurried out with the tray with a big smile on her face.


End file.
